News: With three new characters and lots of new modes.

Namco and Sony have announced that Soul Calibur III will be a PS2 exclusive when it launches sometime this year. Even though the inclusion of Link in the GameCube version sold more copies than the versions for the other two consoles, Namco has decided to place all of their eggs in the PS2 basket.

Soul Calibur III is looking to be the biggest Soul Calibur yet. The game is described as 30% complete and we know that three new characters will take up the fight for the blade with 25 fighters total. Zasalamel is a "mysterious man [who] desires to raise the evil sword. He drags those who witness the sharp light from his giant scythe to the abyss of death." Tira is "an angel of death from the darkness with a bird-like grace, she plays with lives using her Ring Blade." And finally, Setsuka is "the wandering beauty on a lonely journey. She lives for her revenge with a sword hidden in her umbrella."

For a first in the series, Soul Calibur III will also allow players to create their own characters. It's too early to tell exactly how this will work, but it should be interesting.

And with the World Competition Mode, it looks like Soul Calibur fighters may finally get the chance to take the battle online. They don't come right out and say it, but what does "World Competition Mode" say to you?

Namco also released some info on the various modes of play that players should expect from Soul Calibur III:

Character Creation Mode: Allows the player to customise appearance, weapons and roles of a character

Tales of Souls: Offers stories of great depth, unique to each character

Lost Chronicle Mode: Offers the hybrid combination of combat strategy simulation and fighting game elements